Unit 6: New Ideologies and the Second Wave of Imperialism (1750-1900)

Context

• Previous Era: Western European states built maritime empires focusing on Indian Ocean trade and American colonization.
• Enlightenment Ideas: Contradiction between ideals of liberty and the reality of imperial domination.
• New Wave of Imperialism: Driven by additional motives beyond traditional ones (God, Gold, Glory).

Motivating Ideologies

1. Nationalism

• Definition: Sense of commonality among people based on shared language, religion, customs.
• Desire for Self-Rule: Linked to Enlightenment ideas and industrialization.
• Impact: Unification of Italy and Germany; fueled imperial expansion as states competed for global dominance.

2. Scientific Racism

• Definition: Hierarchical classification of humans based on race, introducing a pseudo-scientific approach.
• Racist Divide: Shifted from religious to secular; used to justify superiority of white race.
• Phrenology: Study of skull shapes to "prove" racial superiority of whites.

3. Social Darwinism

• Based on Biological Darwinism: Theory of evolution through natural selection applied to human societies.
• Survival of the Fittest: Justified dominance of Western industrial societies as naturally superior.
• Imperial Justification: Strong nations "rightfully" dominate weaker nations.

4. Civilizing Mission

• Sense of Duty: Western societies felt obligated to bring their "superior" civilization to others.
• Cultural Imposition: Efforts to convert colonized peoples to Christianity and impose Western education/government models.
• Suppression of Indigenous Cultures: Suppressed native languages and traditions.

Conclusion

• Summary: These ideologies collectively drove the second wave of imperialism, shaping global relations and colonial practices during this period.
• Next Steps: Explore how these ideologies manifested in specific imperial actions in subsequent discussions.